Sunday, December 18, 2011

Poll result: TMP meets JKL.

Our most recent poll asked for your thoughts on what might have been the correct toupee choice for Bill Shatner in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. 5% suggested that the "TJ Curly" he wore should have been styled more curly like in the other movies; 13% said the toupee he wore, the "TJ Curly" patty, was the correct choice; 16% said the lesser-known 1970s light side-parted toupee, while 63% wanted the old "Jim Kirk lace".

Thanks for voting!

A while back, we used our proprietary program Touposhop to create an image of contemporary Bill Shatner with Jim Kirk hair. The results were pretty amazing:

But, try as we might, efforts to use Touposhop to give ST:TMP Kirk a "JKL" were just nowhere near as satisfactory. First, we used Jack Klugman's Quincy to create an updated template, but the result seemed strangely thick and almost "Lost Years-like".

So we went back to 60s Jim Kirk himself for a toupological template, but still no real "wow" moment:

For some reason, Bill Shatner just looked different in 1979. Some of you have suggested he had an eye-lift of some kind. It's possible, especially when compared to images from just a couple of years earlier, when the old Kirk is still definitely "there".

Or maybe it was the crash diet the actor went on prior to shooting the movie. Anyway, if any of our readers manage to create a satisfying ST:TMP-JKL composite, please send it to us and we'll post the best ones! We'll have a new festive story for you in the run-up to Christmas!UPDATE: A Touposhop TMP-JKL from reader "James Toupeerius Kirk":UPDATE II: And this just in from reader Adam:

My guess is that because Shatner ditched lace-front toupees, the thinking was, "Let's keep him looking as much like he has been looking the last few years as possible; if we change the look people will know." Too bad.

Some (not all) of Connery's Bond toupees were good; I'm sure by 1979 there could have been a nice looking piece for Shatner instead of the patty (an apt description that makes me chuckle!).

i really want to see a JK lace wearing TWOK kirk screaming "KHHHHHAAAAAAAN!" with the season 2 strategically placed lock of hair hanging over the right of the forehead http://ideologyofmadness.spookyouthouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/startrek2khan.jpg

if someone could do a photoshop of that t'would be an early xmas present thanks

Great posts ShatToup, especially the well done photo shop by Touperious and Adam. Bill looks fantastic with the JKL in these pics. It just goes to show, he should have stayed with the JKL in the 70's and 80's. It fits his face and its just "him" It would have been best to "keep it light" Thanks ShatToup!

Wow great photoshops - I especially like James Toupeerius Kirk's version.

I think the big issue with Shat looking different is both aging and drastic weight loss as well as the position of his hairline. Shat looks better with a higher hairline I think - it balances out his features - that's why the JTK lace, when it's positioned properly looks so good.

In the pic you did with the JTK lace I think it's positioned a bit too low on his forehead.

Thanks for the compliment, TMK!I even had to add a bit of forehead to Shatner in this case.Have a look at the original image under:http://www.n24.de/media/_fotos/bildergalerien/002011/williamshatnerwird80/23578090.jpgand compare! The TMP-patty is thick and the laceline is much too low and strangely curved...

"And while in my lifetime I've seen science make extraordinary inroads into solving the most complex questions of life, after all this time I admit that I am thrilled that there are some things that forever will remain a mystery. For example, do I wear a toupee?"

"May I say that this is the most delightful blog I have discovered in many a moon. It's informative without being cruel, and there's genuine affection for Mr. Shatner. Well done." - A reader's kind comment.

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